ABSTRACT
The EPA has proposed the Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Products (D/ DBP) Rule, which includes a treatment requirement to remove DBP precursors, as measured by total organic carbon (TOC), through enhanced coagulation or softening. Because this technology does not remove bromide, bromide-to-TOC ratios in the treated waters are higher. A combination of two water sources, yielding a matrix of 25 waters (five TOC levels and five bromide levels), was evaluated for the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), and haloacetonitriles (HANs). These and other data are being used to assess not only the effects of the precursor levels, but also the ratio of inorganic to organic precursors on DBP formation.
